In-line roller skate with internal support and external ankle cuff

ABSTRACT

A roller skate includes an upper, including a substantially nonrigid upper portion secured to a base. A frame secured to the base carries a plurality of wheels. The substantially nonrigid upper portion is reinforced by a substantially rigid internal heel counter. An ankle support cuff assembly is pivotally secured to the internal heel counter. The ankle support cuff assembly includes a substantially rigid ankle support cuff that is pivotally secured on lateral and medial sides to the internal heel counter. Ankle pad lines the interior of the ankle support cuff. Ankle support cuff is fastened by a selectively securable fastener about the skater&#39;s ankle. The ankle support cuff assembly pivots freely in the forward and aft direction relative to the internal heel counter.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/617,317, filedJul. 9, 2003, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.09/753,750, filed Jan. 2, 2001, now abandoned, which is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/668,278, filed Jun.21, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,172, which is a continuation-in-partof U.S. application Ser. No. 08/484,467, filed Jun. 7, 1995, nowabandoned, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.08/094,576, filed Jul. 19, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,466.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to in-line roller skate constructions and,more particularly, to pivoting ankle support structures for in-lineroller skates.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In-line roller skates typically include a plurality of aligned wheelswith parallel axles secured to a skate frame. A skate boot or shoe isattached to the top of the frame. Most skate manufacturers currentlyconstruct the boots and shoes (“the skate upper”) with a base, a plasticshell extending upwardly from the base, and a removable liner. The shellmay include a cuff portion pivotally attached to a lower portion of theshell to ease fore and aft movement of the skater's leg while providingmedial and lateral support. Alternatively, the plastic shell may extendupwardly to the top of the skate above the ankle without the cuff beingpivotally secured to the lower portion. Rigid hockey skates are also inthe prior art. These skates typically do not have a plastic outer shell.Hockey skates may have a leather or leather/nylon outer shell withinternal stiffening/support members. While hockey skate constructionsprovide necessary support for this sport, they do not easily flexforwardly and rearwardly.

Most in-line roller skates are very maneuverable and are capable ofhigher speeds than those customarily associated with conventional pairedwheel roller skates. In-line roller skating is generally considered torequire higher levels of skill, coordination, and strength thanconventional paired wheel roller skating because of the narrow, lateralsupport base associated with in-line roller skates. Specifically, whilebalancing in the forward and rear direction is relatively easy for eveninexperienced skaters, balancing in the sideward or lateral direction isdifficult because of the narrow support base and is heavily dependentupon the skater's balancing and coordination skills. Proper ankle andfoot supports within the upper shoe portion of the in-line roller skateaid in lateral balancing.

To obtain the optimum performance from an in-line roller skate, it isimportant that the in-line roller skate be maintained in a substantiallyvertical position. The upper shoe portion of the in-line roller skateserves competing purposes of providing support and comfort; comfort in ashoe not usually being associated with a high degree of support. Inother words, the incorporation of rigid support structures in the uppershoe portion of the in-line roller skate tends to add stiffness and bulkand, considering the warm weather environments conducive to in-lineroller skating, tends to make the skates heavy, hot, and uncomfortable.Because serious ankle and other injuries can result if comfort isfavored over support, proper support in an in-line roller skate has beenthe dominant design criteria in the past.

As discussed briefly above, the conventional upper shoe portion of thein-line roller skate is usually formed of rigid, nonbreathable, plasticmaterials having an inner liner. The plastic material generally formsthe outer structure of the upper shoe portion, thereby requiring that asoft inner liner of sponge rubber or other like material be included toprovide comfort to the user. Since such soft materials combined with therigid plastic shell are good insulators and do not readily transmit heator air away from the user's foot, the result is a hot upper shoeportion.

To provide lateral stability, conventional alpine ski boot designs havereadily been adapted to in-line roller skates. These boots providesupport and durability, characteristics necessary for in-line rollerskates. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,351,537 and 5,171,033 (“the '033 patent) areboth exemplary of rigid, injection-molded boots adapted to wintersports, such as ice skating and alpine skiing, which have been modifiedfor in-line roller skating applications. These patents disclose an upperboot portion that comprises a hard plastic outer shell with a soft innerliner. While this type of boot design is well-suited for cold weathersports, the upper shoe portion tends to be hot and uncomfortable whenused in warm weather sports such as in-line roller skating. The '033patent suggests that by including “primarily unobstructed ventilationports” in the rigid synthetic outer shell of the upper shoe portion, aircan circulate around the skater's foot, thereby eliminating some of theheat associated with the hard plastic outer shell. While this patentseeks to address the issue of comfort, the disclosed upper shoe portionis still configured of two parts, including a hard plastic outer shelland a soft inner liner, that in warm weather conditions can beuncomfortable compared to conventional walking and/or running shoes dueto excessive heat buildup. The result is that the skater's feet areoften hot, damp, and uncomfortable.

Another problem with the adoption of injection molded ski-type boots toin-line roller skating is that, while providing excellent lateralstiffness and rigidity for lateral ankle support, these boots alsocreate unnecessary and unwanted forward/rearward stiffness and rigidity.Ski-type boots detract from the performance characteristics of the skatebecause they limit the range of motion of the skater's legs and feetand, therefore, the ability of the skater to utilize the full extent ofhis strength and agility.

Further, it is desirable for an in-line roller skate upper shoe portionto be lightweight. Boots that are well-suited to skiing applicationswherein it is not necessary to raise and lower the boot with everymovement of the foot (because the skier relies on gravity to provide theforward or downward motion) prove heavy and bulky when adapted toin-line roller skating. When skating on a flat surface, the in-lineroller skater must lift the boot with every stride to provide a forwardimpetus and a heavy upper shoe portion causes fatigue and reducesskating enjoyment.

Alternative modes of providing both comfort and adequate support forin-line roller skating have been suggested. Specifically, U.S. Pat. Nos.3,963,252, 4,418,929, and 5,069,462 show roller skate frames thatinclude a platform adapted to allow the skater to wear a conventionalstreet shoe that is inserted into a series of braces and supports. Theseskates offer alternative shoe and frame designs to the rigid plasticouter shell and inner liner of the conventional in-line roller skate.However, significant problems exist with such designs in that theadjustable braces and supports of these designs, while needed toaccommodate numerous shoe sizes and shapes, are bulky and uncomfortable.Additionally, there is a limited range of shoe types that the skateswill accommodate and, thus, there is the additional requirement that theskater have the proper shoe type to properly utilize the skate.

The outer plastic shells of previous in-line roller skates have createddifficulty in styling the skates, such as has been done with hikingboots and other footwear that have not had rigid outer shells. However,the rigid outer shells were thought to be necessary to provide adequatemedial and lateral support while allowing ease of fore and aft movementof the leg of the skater relative to the skater's foot during skating. Arecreational skater may not have the required strength and ability toutilize a low-cut skate that provides ease of movement. The skate wouldnot provide enough lateral and medial support. Skates that do providelateral and medial support and that do not include the rigid plasticouter shell construction include hockey skates. Hockey skates do provideadequate lateral and medial support for the skater's ankle. However,fore and aft movement of the lower leg of the skater relative to theskater's foot is also limited. The hockey skate uppers are generallyquite rigid and unforgiving. Therefore, a need exists to provide a skatethat includes an upper structural support member for medial and lateralsupport while providing for ease of fore and aft movement withouttotally encompassing the skater's foot in a rigid plastic shell.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a skate for receiving a footof a skater is disclosed. The skate includes a frame, a rigid base, asubstantially nonrigid upper portion, and a substantially rigid upperportion. The frame has a means for riding on a surface. The rigid baseis securely attached to the frame. The base is adapted to support thebottom of the skater's foot and includes a heel portion and a toeportion adapted to support the areas beneath the heel, ball, and toes ofthe skater's foot. The substantially nonrigid upper portion is adaptedto receive the skater's foot. It substantially covers the top and ankleof the skater's foot and is permanently affixed to the rigid base. Thesubstantially rigid upper portion is coupled to the nonrigid upperportion and to the rigid base. The rigid upper portion includes an anklesupport cuff extending above the skater's ankle when wearing the skate.The rigid upper portion is adjacent only to portions of the nonrigidupper portion, leaving a substantial portion of the vamp of the skatewithout rigid support directly adjacent thereto. The nonrigid upperportion extends to above the cuff.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the substantially nonrigidupper portion includes an outer shell. The ankle support cuff isdisposed beneath the outer shell. In one aspect of the invention, thesubstantially nonrigid upper portion also includes billows in a frontportion and a rear portion of the ankle area of the upper portion. Thebillows are adapted to allow flexible movement of the substantiallynonrigid upper portion.

In another preferred aspect of the invention, the substantially rigidupper portion further includes an internal heel counter beneath theouter shell. The ankle support cuff is pivotally connected to theinternal heel counter. An external heel counter may also extend upwardlyfrom the base around the heel portion of the upper portion on theoutside of the outer shell.

In one embodiment of the invention, the internal heel counter and theankle support cuff are pivotally interconnected with a reduced sectionof heel counter material, the heel counter and ankle support cuff beingintegrally formed.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the heel counter includestwo sides with recesses along the inner portion of the tops thereof. Theankle support cuff includes lower edges disposed at least partiallywithin the recesses. Preferably, the recesses include grooves extendingdownwardly therein. The cuff includes downwardly-projecting tongues oneither side thereof disposed within the grooves. The recesses in thesides of the heel counter are preferably arcuate in shape andcomplementary arcuately-shaped tongues exist on the sides of the cuff.The recesses are preferably disposed on the inner sides of the heelcounter with the lower portion of the cuff overlapping the heel counteron the inner sides thereof.

A further aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention includessubstantially rigid support panels disposed on the sides of theinterface between the heel counter and the ankle support cuff. Thesupport panels are fixed to the heel counter such that the ankle supportcuff is movable relative to the panels.

One aspect of an alternate embodiment of the invention includes arcuateslots within the arcuate portions of the heel counter. In thisembodiment, the cuff further includes pins through the bottom arcuateportions thereof. The pins extend through the slots in the heel counter.

In another alternate embodiment of the invention, the arcuate portionsof the heel counter and the arcuate portions of the cuff areinterconnected with arms attached therebetween. These arcuate portionsof the heel counter preferably include recesses for receiving thearcuate portions of the cuff.

The preferred embodiment of the invention may also be described as askate for receiving a foot of the skater that includes a frame, a rigidbase, an external heel counter, an upper having an outer shell, asubstantially rigid internal heel counter, and a substantially rigidankle support cuff. The frame has wheels or a blade for riding on asurface. The rigid base is securely attached to the frame. The externalheel counter extends upwardly from the base around the heel portion ofthe skate. The outer shell is constructed of substantially soft pliablematerial. The internal heel counter is disposed beneath the outer shelland extends around the heel area of the skate above the top of theexternal heel counter. The ankle support cuff is pivotally coupled tothe internal heel counter and disposed beneath the outer shell.Preferably, the internal heel counter also includes at least one groovealong at least a portion thereof for receiving the lower edge of thecuff in substantially sliding engagement therewith.

The above-described skate construction provides a skate that has greataesthetic appeal without substantial plastic material on the externalbody of the skate. The skate also provides superior lateral and medialsupport while allowing fore and aft movement of the lower leg of theskater relative to the skater's foot, with the cuff being pivotallysecured within the upper.

A further embodiment of the present invention includes a substantiallyrigid internal heel counter and an external substantially rigid anklecuff. The skate includes a base defining an undersurface, an uppersurface, a toe end, and a heel end. A frame is secured to theundersurface of the base for mounting a plurality of wheels or otherground engaging member. A substantially nonrigid upper portion issecured to the upper surface of the base. A substantially rigid internalheel counter is secured to and extends upwardly from the heel end of thebase and is received within and covered by the substantially nonrigidupper portion. The substantially rigid ankle cuff, fastenable about askater's ankle, is pivotally secured to an upper portion of the heelcounter. The substantially rigid ankle cuff is able to pivot forwardlyfreely relative to the internal heel counter, substantially withoutresistance from the nonrigid upper portion.

In a preferred embodiment, a substantially rigid ankle cuff is securedto the heel counter and substantially nonrigid upper portion only by thepivotal connection to the internal heel counter and is otherwiseseparate from the nonrigid upper portion. An ankle pad lines an interiorsurface of the ankle cuff and extends downwardly, terminating at a freelower end within the internal heel counter. This embodiment of theinvention allows the ankle cuff to pivot substantially freely fromresistance due to the lower portion of the skate to follow the naturalmotion of the lower leg of a skater.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of thisinvention will become more readily appreciated as the same become betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description, whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present inventionillustrating a soft boot skate with a rigid heel counter and cuffpivotally interconnected within the outer shell of the skate;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the skate of FIG. 1 showing the softportion of the upper and the toe cap in phantom view;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side elevational view of the skateillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 with sections of the interior of the skatecut away to show the cuff/counter interface;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional elevational view cut vertically through theskate and extending through the pivot locations of the cuff;

FIG. 5 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the present inventionincluding a pivot neck between the heel counter and internal cuff;

FIG. 6 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the invention illustratingflex arms used between the internal cuff and heel counter;

FIG. 7 illustrates another alternate embodiment with a single flex armto secure the internal cuff to the heel counter;

FIG. 8 illustrates another alternate embodiment with a flex cross at theinterface between the heel counter and cuff;

FIG. 9 illustrates an alternate embodiment with the arcuateinterconnection between the internal cuff and heel counter beingreversed from previous embodiments;

FIG. 10 is a side view of an alternate embodiment without substantialinterconnection between the internal cuff and heel counter other than atongue and groove arrangement;

FIG. 11 illustrates another alternate embodiment utilizing a pin andslot arrangement between the internal cuff and heel counter;

FIG. 12 illustrates another alternate embodiment with a pin and slotarrangement;

FIG. 13 is an illustration of flex billows that may be used on theexternal shell of the skate to provide for movement of the cuff portionof the skate relative to the lower portion;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the internalsupport structure of the skate showing inner and outer supports coveringthe joints between the internal cuff and heel counter;

FIG. 15 provides a side elevation view of an alternate embodiment of thepresent invention, including an internal heel counter (shown in phantom)and an external ankle support cuff pivotally secured thereto;

FIG. 16 provides a perspective view of the skate of FIG. 15 with aportion of the ankle support cuff assembly broken away for clarity; and

FIG. 17 provides a cross-sectional view of the skate of FIG. 15, takenthrough a transverse plane passing through the pivot axis of the anklecuff.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, an in-line roller skate 10 made according to thepresent invention is disclosed. In-line skate 10 includes an upper 12connected to a frame 14 that secures wheels 16. Upper 12 includes arigid base 18 for interconnection to frame 14. Preferably, rigid base 18extends beneath upper 12 substantially from heel to toe. An externalheel counter 20 is preferably integrally formed with base 18.Alternatively, external heel counter 20 could be omitted or formedseparately, unattached to base 18. A toe cap 22 is also separatelyformed and attached to base 18 to protect the toe end of the skate fromscuffs and wear. A toe cap 22 also protects the skater's foot fromimpacts with hard surfaces.

Most of the rest of upper 12 is constructed of soft, breathable, pliablematerial of the type commonly used in shoes or hiking boots. Thus,synthetic or natural leathers and meshes or other fabrics may be used toconstruct the soft portions of upper 12. These portions include aforefoot portion 24 generally below the ankle area of the skate and anankle portion 26 at and above the ankle portion of the skate. Laces 28are preferably used to secure upper 12 tightly around the foot of theskater in a conventional fashion. However, buckles, straps, Velcro™-typehook-and-loop fasteners, or other fasteners may alternatively be used.In the preferred embodiment of the invention, forward billows 32 and aftbillows 30 are secured within cutout portions of upper 12 just over theheel and between the ankle and forefoot portions 26 and 24 of upper 12.Forward and aft billows 32 and 30 allow ease of flexing of ankle portion26 relative to forefoot portion 24.

Much of the construction of the upper of the skate is similar to thatdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,466, incorporated herein by reference.The skate disclosed in the parent application (U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,466)(“the '466 patent) includes a soft pliable upper. The upper disclosed inthe '466 patent provides medial and lateral support as well as fore andaft flexibility with a rigid external heel counter pivotallyinterconnected with a rigid external cuff. The same concept is employedin the present invention. However, the present application providesfurther details and constructions with a rigid heel counter and cuffplaced inside the relatively soft outer shell 44 of upper 12. Aninternal heel counter 34 is preferably attached to base 18 by connectionto an outer shell 44 and a last board 52 (illustrated in FIG. 3).Internal heel counter 34 rises from base 18 beginning at approximatelythe middle of the sides of base 18 upwardly toward ankle portion 26 ofupper 12. Internal heel counter 34 then gradually descends to a positionbelow aft billows 30 at the rear of the heel portion of upper 12 andabove external heel counter 20. Thus, internal heel counter 34 iscantilevered upwardly from external heel counter 20 except that it hasouter shell 44 placed therebetween in the preferred embodiment.

FIG. 2 further illustrates the heel counter/internal cuff construction.The right and left sides of internal heel counter 34 are substantiallythe same except for variations due to differences in the anatomicalshapes and movements between the medial and lateral sides of theskater's feet. The uppermost portion of both sides of internal heelcounter 34 includes recesses with arcuate lower boundaries. The bottomof the recesses preferably includes grooves 40 into which an ankle cuff36 is engaged with a tongue and groove configuration. Pivot pins 38 aresecured at the radial centers of the arcuate portions and extend betweenankle cuff 36 and internal heel counter 34. Preferably, pivot pins 38are rivets. Pivot pins 38 allow fore and aft movement of ankle cuff 36relative to internal heel counter 34. Pivot pins 38 restrict lateral andmedial flex of ankle cuff 36. Ankle cuff 36 is constructed of a rigidmaterial such as plastic or fiber-reinforced plastic. The material isrigid relative to the softer portions of upper 12 that surround most ofthe rest of the foot of the skater. Ankle cuff 36 is preferably U-shapedas viewed from above such that it surrounds the lower leg of the skaterand ankle of the skater from behind toward the front of the skate. Anklecuff 36 preferably does not entirely surround the ankle or lower leg ofthe skater but preferably extends in front of the ankle bones. Thus,ankle cuff 36 provides medial and lateral support to the skater's anklewhile allowing fore and aft flex about pivot pin 38. Ankle portion 26 ofupper 12 is able to flex fore and aft with ankle cuff 36 since it issecured therearound and is of a softer, more flexible material thanankle cuff 36. Thereby, with the above described construction, a skateis provided that has the pleasing aesthetic appearance of a sport shoeor hiking boot with superior medial and lateral support and fore and aftflexibility that are required for in-line skating.

The arrangement of pivot pin 38 and groove 40 with a cuff tongue 42 (asillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4) provides a strong and supportiveinterconnection between ankle cuff 36 and internal heel counter 34. Bothmedial and lateral flex are restricted by both sides of ankle cuff 36with this arrangement since there is a vertical space between pivot pin38 and the tongue and groove arrangement.

FIG. 3 further illustrates the details of the layering of upper 12. Asdiscussed above, a cuff tongue 42 extends downwardly from cuff 36 tointerface with groove 40 of heel counter 34. Thus, a sliding arrangementexists between cuff 36 and heel counter 34 at the interface between thetwo with a semicircular tongue and groove interface. The portion ofinternal heel counter 34 that extends above pivot pin 38 is preferablyon the outside of ankle cuff 36 to provide additional support when anyportion of cuff 36 is pushed outwardly in a medial or lateral direction.

As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, upper 12 includes the outer shell 44 mentionedabove substantially encompassing the majority of upper 12. Outer layeror shell 44 is preferably constructed of a leather or flexible man-madematerials. Outer shell 44 is secured to base 18, toe cap 22, andexternal heel counter 20. Outer shell 44 extends to the top of upper 12where it is preferably joined to an inner lining 46. Inner lining 46lines the interior walls of upper 12. Inner lining 46 is preferably abreathable material such as a tricot or other conventional breathablelining. A soft padding 48 is secured between inner lining 46 and anklecuff 36 and internal heel counter 36 and 34. Padding 48 also preferablyextends between inner lining 46 and outer shell 44 in areas that do notinclude heel counter 34 and ankle cuff 36. Padding 48 is preferably aconventional padding such as an open-cell foam material.

FIG. 3 also illustrates skate tongue 50 extending in a conventionalmanner in front portion of upper 12.

A last board 52 permanently secures the above-described portions ofupper 12 to base 18. Preferably, rivets or other fasteners extendthrough frame 14, base 18, and last board 52. Adhesives are also used.Outer shell 44 as well as internal heel counter 34 extend at leastpartially beneath last board 52 to be sandwiched securely between lastboard 52 and base 18. The secure connection of upper 12 to base 18provides a skate that is superior in performance to any skates thatinclude removable liners since the foot of the skater can be moresecurely held within the skate and to the base and frame. An insole 54is placed over last board 52 within skate upper 12.

Turning now to FIGS. 5-13, alternate embodiments of the invention willnow be discussed. In the figures, most details of the uppers are notillustrated to more clearly depict the arrangement of the cuffs and heelcounters. Also note that the last two digits of each numbered elementcorrespond to like-numbered elements in previous embodiments.

FIG. 5 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the present invention.Note that like reference numbers are used throughout FIG. 5 except thatthe number 100 has been added to each. Internal heel counter 134 isconnected to internal cuff 136 by a pivot neck 138. Pivot neck 138 issmall enough so as to create a “live hinge” between cuff 136 and heelcounter 134. In this embodiment, cuff 136 may either be in the form ofside panels within the sides of upper 112 or may extend around the backof the skate in a generally U-shaped configuration. The details of mostof upper 112 are not illustrated in FIG. 5 so as to more clearlyrepresent internal heel counter 134, pivot neck 138, and internal cuff136. The remaining details are similar to those disclosed above inconnection with FIGS. 1 through 4. Movement of internal cuff 136 is alsoshown in phantom lines in FIG. 5. With cuff 136 having a U-shapedconfiguration, the structural integrity to provide medial and lateralsupport to the ankle of the skater is provided in a simple, low-cost,integral construction with internal heel counter 134 while fore and aftpivoting motion is still allowed.

Referring now to FIG. 6, an embodiment of the present invention with aninternal cuff 236 interfacing with an internal heel counter 234 does notinclude a pivot pin at the center of the radius of curvature of theinterface. In this embodiment, internal cuff 236 is interconnected withinternal heel counter 234 by a tongue and groove arrangement asdiscussed above. However, forward and rearward arms 258 and 260 biascuff 236 to a neutral position and hold cuff 236 within groove 240.Forward and rearward arms 258 and 260 form a “V” shape with the bottomsof the arms being connected to a heel counter pin secured between thearms and internal heel counter 234 beneath the lowest portion of groove240. Alternatively, groove 240 may simply be a recess on the sides ofinternal heel counter 234. The upper ends of arms 258 and 260 aresecured to guide holes 262 within heel counter 234 by guide pins 264.Guide pins 264 slide within arcuate guide holes 262 and hold the sidesof cuff 236 against heel counter 234. Arms 258 and 260 may be on theinterior or exterior of internal heel counter 234. Arms 258 and 260 arepreferably constructed from a tough elastomeric material. The remainingdetails of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 are similar to theembodiments discussed above.

Referring now to FIG. 7, another alternate embodiment similar to that ofFIG. 6 will be described. In this embodiment, a single elastomeric arm358 is fixedly secured on both ends in a horizontal fashion to internalheel counter 334. Arm 358 is secured across the lower portion of therecess in internal heel counter 334 with the lowermost part of cuff 336disposed between arm 358 and heel counter 334. Arm 358 is elastic innature and flexible to permit fore and aft movement of cuff 336 relativeto internal heel counter 334. Depending on the elasticity of arm 358,the lower arcuate edge of heel counter 336 may rocker inside the recesscreated within the top of heel counter 334, thus pulling somewhatupwardly with guide pin 364 on arm 358. The recess within the top ofheel counter 334 may have a greater radius of curvature so as to permitsuch rockering.

Another embodiment will now be discussed in connection with FIG. 8. Thisembodiment is similar to that of FIGS. 6 and 7 discussed above. In thisembodiment, a flex cross 438 is interconnected between cuff 436 andinternal heel counter 434. The upper arm 462 of flex cross 438 issecured to cuff 436 although, alternatively, multiple arms may beconnected to cuff 436 with one or more multiple arms connected tointernal heel counter 434. Again, cuff arm 462 and heel counter 458 areconnected at their ends to cuff 436 and heel counter 434, respectively.Thus, the elastic nature of flex cross 438 allows movement of cuff 436relative to heel counter 434 with either rockering or pivoting slidingaction between the arcuate portions of each.

Referring now to FIG. 9, another alternate embodiment, includes reversedarcuate portions of the heel counter 534 and cuff 536 such that cuff 536includes a concave portion while heel counter 534 contains convexportions. In this case, heel counter 534 may extend upwardly to justabove the ankle bones of the skater. Cuff 536 permits movement of thelower leg of the skater relative to internal heel counter 534. Either arecess or a groove 540 with a cuff tongue 542 interfaces between the twoelements.

Referring now to FIG. 10, an embodiment is shown wherein no positivepivotal or linkage connection is created between a cuff 636 and a heelcounter 634 other than a tongue and recess or tongue and groovearrangement. The fact that cuff 636 and internal heel counter 634 areheld within outer shell 44 of upper 612 provides enough retention of theelements such that no rivet or other fastening means is necessary.

FIG. 11 illustrates another alternate embodiment of the inventionwherein a recess 740 in the top of the internal heel counter 734 isprovided to overlap cuff 736. However, in this embodiment, a guide hole762 in the form of an elongate arcuate slot is provided in the bottom ofcuff 736 adjacent a recessed portion 740 of internal heel counter 734. Aheel counter pin 756 extends through recess portion 740 and throughguide hole 762 to restrict the movement of cuff 736 and provideadditional strength thereto.

A slight rearrangement of this construction is shown in FIG. 12. In FIG.12, the same guide pin/guide hole arrangement is utilized except that agroove 840 is provided in the bottom of the recess into which a cufftongue 842 extends. In this embodiment, cuff 836 is further restrictedand strengthened from medial and lateral movement since cuff tongue 842cannot move laterally or medially but only slide within groove 840. Notethat the actual pivot axis of cuff 836 may be above heel counter pin 856due to guide hole 862 being arcuate and providing room for movement.Thus, the pivot axis may be at the ankle bones (malleoli) of the skaterwithout having a rivet or pin projecting inwardly at that same location.

Referring now to FIG. 13, an additional element will be describedrelating to the external portion of upper 912. In this embodiment, fullbillows 966 are provided between ankle portion 926 and forefoot portion924 to allow the two portions as well as cuff 936 and internal heelcounter 934 to move relative to each other. Billows 966 is an elasticrubbery material that is easily flexible without breaking down. In thisembodiment, full billows 966 extends from the front of the boot downbelow the ankle bone to above the heel behind the ankle bone in anarcuate fashion. Billows 966 would then extend around the rear of theskate to a substantially mirror configuration on the other side of theskate.

Referring to FIG. 14, additional support structures preferably added tothe basic structure described above relative to FIGS. 1 through 4 willnow be discussed. In FIG. 14, the entire soft portion of upper 12 hasbeen removed to expose last board 1052, internal heel counter 1034, andinternal cuff 1036. The construction of these three elements andarrangement in FIG. 14 are substantially similar to that discussed abovewith regard to FIGS. 1 through 4. However, outer supports 1068 and innersupports 1070 have also been added to provide a smooth transitionbetween these elements and for greater support and comfort. Outersupports 1068 are constructed of a plastic material and overlay the cuffand heel counter intersection of the skate and extend slightly forwardlytherefrom. This provides additional rigidity to the pivotal and tongueand groove arrangement of the support structure and wraps around thefoot of the skater to provide additional support. Likewise, innersupports 1070 cover the intersection between cuff 1036 and heel counter1034 on the inside of these elements and also cover the inside of pivotpin 1038, which may be a rivet or other fastener. Thus, inner supports1070 not only provide additional structural support for the foot of theskater to help maintain the proper orientation of the in-line skate, butalso provide smooth transition between the elements for maximum comfort.Supports 1068 and 1070 are fixedly secured to internal heel counter1034. Supports 1068 and 1070 are slidably secured to internal cuff 1036such that they nest against cuff 1036 so as to not hinder the movementthereof in the fore and aft directions. However, supports 1068 and 1070further strengthen cuff 1036 in the lateral and medial directions andprovide further support around the foot of the skater beyond thatprovided by heel counter 1034.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustratedand described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.The basic concepts and constructions disclosed could be modified such asby placing them on the exterior of the skate on the outside of outershell 44 or by changing the arrangement in any number of ways whilestill maintaining basic concepts of having the rigid cuff interconnectedto the heel counter in a pivotal fashion.

A further embodiment of the present invention showing one such alternateconstruction is illustrated in FIGS. 15-18. The skate 1110 illustratedin FIG. 15 is constructed similarly to the skate 10 of FIG. 1, with theexception of the construction and mounting of the pivotal ankle supportcuff. Thus, those details of the embodiment of FIGS. 15-18 in commonwith those of FIG. 1 will not be described in great detail. Generally,the skate 1110 includes an upper 1112 that is connected to a frame 1114between the sidewalls of which are rotatably secured a plurality ofwheels 1116. The upper 1112 includes a rigid base 1118, the underside ofwhich is secured the frame 1114. Securement of the base 1118 to theframe 1114 may be by riveting, threaded fasteners, adhesion, or othermanners, as previously described, or the base 1118 and the frame 1114may be integrally formed. In the embodiment illustrated, the base 1118is rigid the full length of the upper 1112 from the forward toe end tothe rear heel end of the base. However, it should be understood that thepresent invention also applies equally well to a skate that may includea flexing base 1118 having either a heel end that is unsecured to andable to lift away from the rear end of the frame, or including a splitframe having front and rear segments.

The upper 1112 also includes a substantially nonrigid upper portion 1120that receives and surrounds the foot of a skater. The nonrigid upperportion 1120 runs from a forward, toe end 1122 of the base 1118 to arear, heel end 1124 of the base 1118. The nonrigid upper portion 1120 isformed from flexible materials, as previously described, such asleather, canvas, nylon fabric, or flexible plastic. The forward end ofthe nonrigid upper 1120 is protected by a toe guard 1126 formed of arigid or substantially rigid plastic material. The toe guard is securedto the edge of the toe end 1122 of the base 1118, and rises outwardlytherefrom to wrap the sides and upper edge of the toe portion of thesubstantially nonrigid upper portion 1120. The nonrigid upper portion1120 also includes a vamp opening 1128 that overlaps a tongue 1130secured at the forwardmost end of the vamp opening 1128, and selectivelyclosed by a fastener such as a lace 1132.

The nonrigid upper portion 1120 is internally reinforced by an internalheel counter 1134. Referring to FIGS. 15 and 16, the internal heelcounter 1134 has a generally U-shaped configuration and is secured abouta lower U-shaped edge thereof to the perimeter of the heel end 1124 ofthe base 1118. The internal heel counter 1134 rises upwardly from thebase 1118, and wraps the rear and lateral and medial sides of the heelof a skater. The heel counter 1134 terminates below the malleoli, orankle bones, of the skater, and extends forwardly to the beginning ofthe instep of the skater's foot. While the internal heel counter 1134 isreceived within and covered by the substantially nonrigid upper 1120,portions of the internal heel counter 1134 may be exposed for aestheticreasons. In the illustrated embodiment, lateral and medial (not shown)apertures 1136 are defined in the nonrigid upper portion 1120, to exposean underlying portion of the internal heel counter 1134.

The internal heel counter 1134 has a substantially rigid constructionand may be suitably formed of a rigid or substantially rigid plastic ormetal. In the embodiment illustrated, the internal heel counter 1134 isformed from a fiber-reinforced resin such as a graphite fiber reinforcedpolyester resin composite. The nonrigid upper portion 1120 extends tocover and protect the full height of the internal heel counter 1134,except for the exposed portion of the heel counter at the apertures1136. The nonrigid upper portion 1120 terminates below the malleoli ofthe user, with the exception of the tongue 1130, which extends upwardlyalong the front side of the ankle, as best shown in FIG. 16. The upper1112, formed of the nonrigid upper portion 1120, reinforced by theinternal heel counter 1134, and the base 1118 thus do not in any wayrestrict pivoting or flexing of the user's ankle.

In order to support the user's ankle in the lateral and medialdirections while enabling flexure of the ankle to a predetermined extentin the forward and rearward direction that is unrestricted by thenonrigid upper portion, the skate of FIGS. 15-17 includes an independentankle support cuff assembly 1140. The ankle support cuff assembly 1140includes a substantially rigid ankle support cuff 1142, an internalankle pad 1144 (FIGS. 16 and 17), a partial external ankle shell 1146,and a selectively securable fastener 1148.

The ankle cuff 1142 has a rigid or substantially rigid construction. Theexternal ankle cuff 1142 has a generally U-shaped configuration defininglateral and medial sides that each terminates at a lower end in pivotextensions 1152. The cuff 1142 is contoured so that it wraps around andsupports the rear side of the ankle and extends over the malleoli,including concave portions to accommodate the malleoli protrusions of askater's ankle. The pivot extensions 1152 extend downwardly below themalleoli, and are pivotally secured by rivets 1150 to the lateral andmedial sides of the heel counter 1134. The pivotal connection providedat the rivets 1150 is horizontally aligned with but slightly below thepivot axis of the ankle. The ankle support cuff 1142 can be constructedfrom similar materials as described above for the internal heel counter1134.

The ankle pad 1144 wraps about the user's ankle and extends downwardlyinside the ankle support cuff 1142. The ankle pad 1144 is formed from asoft cushioning material, such as an elastomeric foam. The ankle pad1144 is larger than the ankle support cuff 1142, extending furtherupwardly, forwardly, and downwardly than the ankle support cuff 1142.When combined with the tongue 1130, the ankle pad 1144 completely wrapsthe user's ankle. The pad 1144 projects downwardly into the interior ofthe upper 1112, defining a lower edge that terminates just above aninsole 1160. However, the pad 1144 is not connected to or secured to theinternal heel counter 1134 or the upper 1120, but rather is independentthereof. The ankle pad 1144 is lined with a fabric sheet 1162, whichextends over the inner surface of the pad 1144 and wraps downwardly andover the outer surface of the pad 1144. In a preferred embodiment, thefabric sheet 1162 extends further downwardly over an upper edge of theankle support cuff 1142. The fabric 1162 forms a portion of the exteriorshell 1146 of the ankle cuff. The exterior shell 1146 is finished by thesecurable fastener, such as a strap with a hook-and-loop closure, thatsurrounds the forward side of the ankle, crossing in front of the tongue1130 to fasten the ankle cuff assembly about the user's lower leg, justabove the ankle. The ankle cuff assembly 1140, consisting of the cuff1142, pad 1144, shell 1146, and strap 1148, is coupled to the upper 1112only through pivotal connection of the cuff 1142 to the internal heelcounter 1134 at the pivot points defined by the rivets 1150, except thatthe tongue 1130 extends upwardly into the cuff. This enables the user tofreely flex the ankle, pivoting the ankle support cuff assembly 1110relative to the heel counter 1134 freely and without resistance, in thefore and aft direction.

A gap is defined between the partial ankle shell 1146 and the nonrigidupper 1120. While a lateral and medial rivet pivot is disclosed, otherpivoting constructions, such as those described above, may be utilized,including a flexible linkage between the upper and lower portions of anintegrated cuff and heel counter assembly, or a bellows linkage. Thelower edge of the internal heel counter 1134 may be secured to the base1118 by any of the methods disclosed above, such as sewing, adhesion, orriveting. Likewise, the ankle pad 1144 and partial ankle shell 1146 maybe adhered to the ankle cuff 1142 by various methods known to those inshoe construction, such as by stitching, as is preferred, or byadhesion.

These and various other alterations and variations to the disclosedembodiments may be made, all within the scope of the present invention.For example, while an in-line skate has been disclosed, ice skates arealso within the scope of the present invention. It is thus intended thatthe scope of the invention be defined by the claims dependent hereto,and not by the disclosed embodiments.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it will be appreciated that various changes can be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. An in-line skate comprising: a frame rotatably supporting a pluralityof in-line wheels; a shoe portion comprising a base secured to the frameand a nonrigid upper portion secured to the base; a rigid heel countersecured to the base and disposed between an outer layer of the nonrigidupper portion and an inner lining; an ankle support assembly including arigid ankle cuff covered by a flexible shell, the rigid ankle cuffhaving oppositely-disposed pivot extensions that are pivotably attachedto the heel counter such that the ankle support assembly is pivotableabout a transverse axis substantially independently of the shoe portion,and a U-shaped portion adapted to wrap about the skater's ankle; andwherein the inner lining overlies an inner surface of the rigid anklecuff.
 2. The skate of claim 1, wherein the rigid ankle cuff includesconcave portions adapted to accommodate the malleoli protrusions of askater's ankle.
 3. The skate of claim 1, wherein the inner lining is notsecured to the rigid heel counter.
 4. The skate of claim 1, wherein theinner lining is a lined foam pad.
 5. The skate of claim 1, wherein theankle support assembly further comprises a securable closure strap. 6.The skate of claim 1, wherein the shoe portion further comprises atongue that extends upwardly from the upper portion and is engaged bythe ankle support assembly.
 7. The skate of claim 1, wherein a gap isdefined between a lower rear edge of the ankle support assembly and anupper rear edge of the nonrigid upper portion.
 8. The skate of claim 1,wherein at least a portion of the rigid ankle cuff is exposed betweenthe flexible shell and the nonrigid upper portion.
 9. The skate of claim1, further comprising a rigid toe guard secured to the base andoverlying a toe portion of the nonrigid upper portion.
 10. The skate ofclaim 1, wherein the nonrigid upper portion comprises a breathablefabric.
 11. A skate comprising: a frame rotatably supporting a pluralityof wheels; a base secured to the frame; a nonrigid upper portion securedto the base and formed from flexible materials; a rigid heel countersecured to the base and disposed between an outer layer of the nonrigidupper portion and an inner lining layer; and an ankle support assemblycomprising a rigid ankle cuff defining lateral and medial arms thatpivotably attach to the rigid heel counter and a U-shaped portionextending above the nonrigid upper portion, and a securable nonrigidshell disposed over an outer surface of the rigid ankle cuff; whereinthe ankle support assembly is constrained to pivot about an axistransverse to a longitudinal axis defined by the base.
 12. The skate ofclaim 11, wherein the rigid ankle cuff includes concave portions adaptedto accommodate the malleoli protrusions of a skater's ankle.
 13. Theskate of claim 11, wherein the inner lining layer is a lined foam pad.14. The skate of claim 11, wherein the nonrigid upper portion furthercomprises a tongue portion that extends upwardly to engage the anklesupport assembly.
 15. The skate of claim 11, further comprising a rigidtoe guard secured to the base and overlying a toe portion of thenonrigid upper portion.
 16. The skate of claim 11, wherein the nonrigidupper portion comprises a breathable fabric.
 17. A skate having aplurality of wheels, a base defining an upper surface, a lower surfaceand a longitudinal axis, a frame secured to the base for mounting theplurality of wheels, and a nonrigid upper portion adapted to receive askater's foot and secured to the base, the nonrigid upper portionextending upwardly from the base and adapted to terminate below theankle of the received skater's foot, the improvement comprising: a rigidheel counter secured to the base and disposed between an outer layer ofthe nonrigid upper portion and an inner foam layer and an ankle supportassembly pivotally connected to the internal heel counter, the rigidankle support assembly comprising a rigid ankle cuff support and anonrigid shell portion covering an outer surface of the rigid ankle cuffsupport.
 18. The skate of claim 17, wherein the rigid ankle cuffincludes a C-shaped portion and oppositely-disposed pivot extensionsthat are pivotably attached to the heel counter.
 19. The skate of claim18, wherein the oppositely-disposed pivot extensions include concaveportions adapted to accommodate the malleoli protrusions of a skater'sankle.